Crime and victims

Worried about crime?

Even as the number of reported crimes continues to drop, some people are still worried about crime. Here's some information that might help.

Your chances of becoming a victim of crime are the lowest they've been for 20 years – yet many people are more concerned about their personal safety than ever.

This is not completely irrational. Crimes continue to occur, and the way crime is reported in the media can be intimidating. A handful of major crimes get very heavy coverage, and this has the effect of making people feel more vulnerable. Localised problems with anti-social behaviour such as vandalism and graffiti can also make people feel less safe.

Fear of Crime toolkit for practitioners

If you'd like to find out more about the fear of crime itself, check out our Fear of Crime Toolkit (new window) for practitioners. It has everything from a discussion on how to measure the fear of crime to academic research on the subject, and more useful contacts and websites.